Cardrona Tower

Cardrona Tower is situated in a clearing within Cardrona Forest. The interior contains a barrel vaulted ground floor and open first floor, reached by spiral staircase housed within the wing. The tower should be viewed from outside; it is a hazardous structure and its door bears a locked gate.

This picture shows the remains of Cardrona Tower.

Cardrona Tower dates back to the mid-late 16th century, probably built by the Govan family. The land was later purchased by the Williamson family in the 18th century who built a new house to the east of the tower and it is thought that this is the time at which the tower house was abandoned.

Today it survives as a roofless shell with a stair tower to the south-west side. The ground floor vaulted basement and the main first floor hall have remained intact and there are a number of original features; mostly doors, windows and pugholes which also survive. A large gable survives on the south-east side, indicating that the tower originally had a steeply pitched roof, and a large projecting stone on the south west exterior elevation indicates that there was probably either a parapet walk around the top of the tower or an additional corbelled turret on this side.

The hillfort on the summit above is also very interesting, although it has been obscured by the construction of a 19th century drystone sheepfold.

Visiting Cardrona Tower

The exact location of Cardrona Tower is grid reference NT 300 378, and the tower can be found in Cardrona forest. Please note the tower is fenced off and not accessible.

All sites managed by Forestry Commission Scotland are open for you to explore. However, not all sites have paths or signage and some are a considerable distance from car parking. We recommend that visitors consult a detailed map and wear appropriate clothing.